Offshore wind farm boosts German power

BERLIN, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- German officials say offshore wind power is of key importance to the country's energy supply.

Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the country's first wind farm, which opened Tuesday near Hooksiel just off Germany's North Sea coast, will produce enough power to serve 5,000 households. He called it a key step toward more reliance on renewable energy in Europe's biggest economy, Deutsche Welle reported Wednesday.

Work on a larger wind farm off the coast of the North Sea island of Borkum is to begin early next year. Germany hopes to provide 15 percent of the country's households with electricity produced by offshore wind farms by 2030, the newspaper said.